Reasons We Serve: Police Careers & Officer Experience

A brief message from the creator of Reasons We Serve, Niles Gooding, a retired DEA Agent. 

🎥 Episode 144 Uncover the shadows with retired Fairfax County PD Detective Ken Larson (FBI 12 years), whose journey began in 1983 with the Secret Service Uniform Division—fueled by a Youngstown steel-town kid's obsession with True Detective mags and "Walking Tall" heroism, no family LE legacy. From blue-collar roots to deep undercover infiltrating motorcycle gangs, Ken reveals the grind: Building...

🎥 Episode 143 Step into the unyielding world of retired NYC Department of Corrections Deputy Warden Philip Billik (25 years, 1983-2008), who traded Wall Street publishing for Rikers Island's chaos—starting as a 23-year-old recruit bused straight to Bronx House of Detention amid 1970s civil service tests and civil servant dreams. From six-week Rikers training (classroom law to Bronx firearms drill...

🎥 Episode 142 Trace retired St. Louis County PD Sgt. Adam Kavanaugh's 25-year badge odyssey—from a poverty-stricken childhood idolizing his grandfather's heroism amid violent home beatings to a lifelong "policeman" fixation sparked by a homemade jean-car toy. Drawn to protect the weak, Adam's career peaks in the gut-wrenching Child Exploitation Unit, sifting through unimaginable abuse footage tha...

🎥 Episode 141 Dive into the raw streets of 1980s-90s Baltimore with retired Prince George's County PD detective Maurice Hicks (20 years total, including Baltimore PD narcotics as well as a homicide detective), who traded a heroin-plagued backyard for a badge—not once, but twice—after reluctant recruiter tests hooked him despite zero interest in policing. From high-speed pursuits and foot chases t...

🎥 Episode 140 In an era where patrol officers spend half their shift buried in paperwork, discover how CLIPr.ai is transforming law enforcement with AI that auto-generates 90% of police report drafts from body cam audio or interviews—slashing documentation time and freeing cops for street duty. Co-founder Humphrey Chen shares the origin story sparked by a homicide detective's 3-hour interview mir...

🎥 Episode 139 Join active-duty Bel Air Police Lt. Rob Pfarr (27 years in, Harford County, MD) for an unfiltered ride through small-town law enforcement—from 1998 cadet days dodging dad's Vietnam anti-military veto to night-shift DUI hunts that nabbed drunks, drugs, and guns with instant gratification. In a quiet 3-sq-mile dept (33 sworn) that snapped a 30-year homicide drought with 3 killings in...

🎥 Episode 138 Step into the mind of Patty Scalzo, a trailblazing female detective who served 19.5 years with the Nassau County Police Department, rising from uniform patrols in high-crime Elmont to mastering the "mental chess" of confessions that cracked even hardened suspects. Discover her unfiltered tales of leveraging psychology over force—why suspects confessed to please her, the good cop/bad...

🎥 Episode 137 Step into the adrenaline-fueled world of retired DEA Special Agent Craig Chretien, who traded seminary robes for a badge in 1972, rising from gritty LA undercover ops to Chief of Intelligence and International Operations. From busting Hollywood coke rings and black tar heroin networks to spearheading takedowns in Peru and Bolivia, Chretien reveals raw tales of moral dilemmas, family...

🎥 Episode 136 Join retired DEA Special Agent Jack McFarland for a no-holds-barred dive into 32 years of high-stakes drug enforcement, from his gritty start in Quantico and Philly's cocaine-crack streets alongside battle-hardened BNDD Vietnam vets to leading monster takedowns of Colombian cartels and heroin pipelines. Hear raw tales of proving himself as the "FNG" (freakin' new guy), compartmental...

🎥 Episode 135 In this gripping interview, retired NYPD detective Chris Delia (13 years on the force, ex-Marine) opens up about his brutal Bronx childhood—abandoned by his dad, fending off predators—and how it fueled his drive to protect the "little guy." From dodging death as an 18-year-old punk with a pellet gun, which almost got him killed by cops, to surviving the Marines and then later infilt...

🎥 Episode 134 Dive into the raw, riveting world of retired NYPD Lieutenant Commander Vernon J. Geberth, the legendary "Godfather of Homicide," as he recounts three decades of high-stakes investigations in the brutal streets of 1970s-80s New York. From the gruesome Bronx Bathtub Torture case and the first DNA conviction in New York State to explosive clashes with corrupt brass and the infamous Lar...

🎥 Episode 133 Retired Lee County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Hollow shares his raw 17-year journey from high-stakes Boston EMS trauma calls to intense Massachusetts state police academy drills, Florida patrols, and elite K9 handling—including heart-wrenching child deaths and tactical pursuits. He dives into the mental toll of policing, why agencies are lowering hiring standards amid morale crises, the...

🎥 Episode 132 Dive into the eerie intersection of ghost hunting and true crime with Colin Browen, creator of The Paranormal Files (400+ chilling YouTube videos), Murder in America, and The Conspiracy Files. From his family's haunted house horrors—crawling entities and vanishing footsteps—to high-stakes investigations uncovering unsolved stranglings, snuff film rings like Midnight Productions, and...

Episode 131 Dive into the gripping career of Deputy Mark "Oakley" El Sayid, an 18-year Florida law enforcement veteran who escaped Latin Kings beatdowns in New Jersey streets to conquer corrections riots, Florida Highway Patrol pursuits, heart-pounding SWAT baby rescues, and elite K9 narcotics interdictions. From mastering verbal judo to debunking traffic quota myths and building Black Sand Tactic...

🎥 Episode 130 From defusing bombs in the Air Force to leading SWAT raids as a tactical explosive breacher—meet Jonathan Salisbury, the 16-year veteran of Idaho's Meridian PD who traded dog tags for a badge at age 30. Jon reveals how military grit fueled his rise through patrols, undercover ops, and command, while balancing a high-stakes life with family, faith, and a secret passion: penning epic...

🎥 Episode 129 In this compelling interview, former Marine and Idaho police officer Jarad Webb opens up about his turbulent journey from a traumatic childhood marked by abuse and abandonment to a high-stakes career in law enforcement filled with adrenaline rushes, unprocessed PTSD, and a devastating spiral into opioid addiction. Rock bottom hits with a felony arrest, job loss, and a suicide attemp...

🎥 Episode 128 In Episode 128, retired Federal Air Marshal Jeremy Beard reveals untold stories from his career in law enforcement, starting as a local cop in Idaho, serving in the Border Patrol in Laredo, Texas, and joining the Air Marshals post-9/11. Discover intense firearms quals, Viper team ops, active shooter training at FLETC, and insights on airport chaos, pet peeves on flights, and transit...

🎥 Episode 127 In this powerful episode of our podcast, retired Ada County Sheriff's Deputy Aaron Miner shares his incredible journey, from growing up in Idaho, serving in the military with deployments to Iraq, to a 17-year career in law enforcement. Hear firsthand accounts of his roles as an Intel analyst, scout vehicle commander, SWAT team member, and school resource officer (SRO) for 8 years. A...

🎥 Episode 126 Dive into the gripping true crime story of retired Cold Case Homicide Detective Bobby Minchew in this exclusive interview. From his early days as a shy kid in Houston, Texas, to enlisting in the Marines at 17, surviving bootcamp, and serving in Desert Storm, Bobby shares his raw journey into law enforcement with the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Hear about his time in the jail, hi...

🎥 Episode 125 In this powerful episode of our law enforcement podcast, retired DEA Special Agent Stacy Weathers shares her incredible true story for the first time publicly. From her idyllic Midwestern childhood and unexpected call to law enforcement, to marrying fellow DEA agent Frank Mareno, whose tragic murder in Bogota, Colombia, propelled her into a 20+ year career fighting drug traffickers...

🎥 Episode 124 📌 Description Former law enforcement officer Rod Gates shares his incredible journey from growing up in Colorado to serving with the Sheridan, Wyoming Police Department and the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office in Idaho. In this interview, Rod opens up about: -His childhood struggles and path to becoming a cop. -Intense moments on patrol, SWAT operations, and detective work. -The harr...

🎥 Episode 123 In this gripping episode, retired law enforcement officer Glenn "Skinny" Grannan shares his incredible journey from undercover narcotics work in 1970s Louisiana to solving horrific homicides and child crimes in Mississippi. Hear heart-pounding tales of near-death experiences, like a gun clicking against his chest, busting major drug rings, and cracking the infamous "dismembered stri...

🎥 Episode 122 In this captivating full-length interview, retired Railroad Police Officer Paul Miller recounts his incredible 35-year career investigating crimes on the rails—from catching thieves hiding in the weeds to chasing suspects through train yards with no backup or gun. Starting as a New Orleans Police Cadet in the 1970s, Paul rose to become a respected railroad special agent, patrolling...

🎥 Episode 121 In this compelling interview, retired New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) Captain Don Curole shares his incredible journey from a young cadet to a seasoned homicide detective and district commander. Discover the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned during his decades-long career, including insights into the cadet program, high-profile cases like Hurricane Katrina, and the evol...